Joseph James Furniture Outlet has acquired the building of its 40,000 sqft St Helens store for £1m. Now aged 25, the business' two founders – Joseph Shenton and James Pullen – says they see this as "a very proud moment" and a milestone that marks a significant progression from when they founded the company six years ago in a basement storage unit in Stockport, with just £5,000.
The building was last sold for £3.4m in 2019, at which time Wilkinsons occupied and traded from the property. Joseph & James recognises that high street retail property values have seen a significant decline since 2019, especially as a result of Covid-19, yet the pair believe the property is undervalued, and at £1m felt it was an opportunity they could not turn down.
Joseph James is the UK’s biggest furniture outlet, selling clearance stock from some of the UK’s biggest furniture retailers including Furniture Village, DFS, Sofology and Very, at between 30-70% off the retail price. Every piece is unique, and a Joseph James store never looks the same two days in a row.
The retailer operates from four sites across the North West – Stockport, Warrington, St Helens and Stretford. Joseph James also offers customers the opportunity to purchase online, and says it offers a free two-man nationwide delivery service.
Joseph James Furniture Outlet opened its St Helens store in April 2025. The owners say it has performed well since opening, despite a challenging retail climate, and has received strong support from the local community. In the store’s opening year, it achieved £1.3m in sales.
Now that this position in St Helens is cemented for the long term, the young founders plan to invest in the property in a number of ways over the coming years. Their earliest priorities are to: invest in installing solar panels above the property; and improve the entrance to the store.
Joseph and James says they have belief in the future of St Helens and the regeneration plans in place there, and want to thank the entire team for putting them in this position – which, with a headcount of over 60, looks very different to when it was just the two of them working for the business back in 2019.
The store boasts over 300 sofas, 50 chairs, 70 dining tables and chairs and 50 beds and mattresses, all available for "immediate free delivery".
